Dakar 2013, Stage 1: Chaleco Lopez (KTM) first leader, Despres 5th

The opening motorcycling stage of the 2013 Dakar has been a sort of introduction to the whole thing, with the bikes that left Peruvian capital Lima in a proper ‘parade’ fashion to take on a 250 km liaison to get to Pisco, where they had to face a 13 km timed stage. Chilean Francisco “Chaleco” Lopez (KTM 450 Rally) turned out to be the fastest rider: he won the stage and became the first leader of the 35th edition of the most important motorcycle rally-raid of the season. Lopez, 37, covered the 13 km in 7 minutes and 52 seconds, winning by a single second over Dutchman runner-up Frans Verhoeven (Yamaha) and with fellow Chilean Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) clinching the third spot on the podium just 5 seconds behind.

Fourth place went to another Chilean rider, Patricio Cabrera (Kawasaki, +11 “), followed by the number one favorite of the event, Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM, +13″), and the David Casteu (Yamaha, +15 “). Portuguese Ruben Faria (KTM, +19 “), Argentine Javier Pozzolito (Honda, +21″), Norway’s Pål Ullevalseter (KTM, +26 “) and Spaniard Joan Barreda Bort (Husqvarna, + 29 “) round off the Top 10 at the end of today’s special. Helder Rodriguez of Portugal, the main rider for the returning Honda HRC team, had to settle for the 29th place.

All the first 32 riders in the standings are contained in one minute, which says a lot about the actual importance of today’s stage. All in all, it has been a sort of prologue for what is coming next: tomorrow the contenders will have to face a 385 km stage with start and finish in Pisco, with 242 km of special stage (mainly sand) and 85 km liaison. See the results of the first stage of the 35th edition of the Dakar right after the jump.